<p>Two comments. First Churchill is a good walk or bicycle ride from the middle of the town where most of the University resides and precipitation is known to occur in Cambridge.
Secondly it is interesting to see that grade inflation in Cambridge is as bad if not worse than in the US.</p>
<p>At Oxford, too. When I was there (back in the Dark Ages) Firsts were extremely rare. I knew precisely one person at my college who got one. Most folks got middle Seconds (which, being the middle, makes good sense.) Last year, my college had 21 Firsts. And it is nowhere near the top of the tables.</p>
<p>Perhaps people are smarter these days…</p>
<p>Most of the colleges are fairly similar. But I wouldn’t worry too much about college choice, since it’s very likely he’ll be rejected anyway. Just stick to one of the mainstream colleges in the centre of Cambridge.</p>
<p>Our daughter (US resident) went through the process at Cambridge last year. She applied for English and got pooled at Newnham (one of the single-sex schools). She went over to interview (which was rigorous), having to have substantive discussions with professors including reading a passage and analyzing it off the cuff (unlike typical US interview where you meet a local alum at Starbucks). She ended up getting an offer however it was conditioned (like they typically are) on getting 5s on some additional AP exams her senior year (just like their offers to UK kids is subject to A level performance). My sense is that for the few US kids who get offers for undergraduate admission there, they are more focused on test scores and grades as opposed to ECs. As much as I loved Cambridge (as did she), she decided to stay in the US. For American kids, unless you are abolutely sure as to your course of study, the Oxbridge way where you basically are limited to your chosen course of study can be a deterrent.</p>
<p>Yes, ECs aren’t important unless they are directly related to the applicant’s field of study. And even then they don’t count for much unless they are evidence of truly exceptional talent. </p>
<p>Mini, I think we went to the same college :)</p>
<p>Yes, they ARE more focused on test scores, which is why some excellent American students with mediocre ECs apply. (I am NOT saying that all US applicants fall into that category–only that kids with that profile are attracted to Oxbridge). Years ago, I interviewed a young woman for my (US) alma mater. She was one of the most mature and impressive candidates I’ve ever interviewed. She was “commended” in NMS and had medicore but focused ECs. Her grades were very high in social studies and in English but mediocre in math and science. She didn’t get into my alma mater–I didn’t expect her to. She did get into Oxford PPE, which was not surprising either. High AP scores and SAT II scores --I don’t know if they count --and amazingly articulate and well read. I’m sure she excelled in the interview. </p>
<p>Remember the flack a few years ago where a British girl got into Harvard after being closed out at Oxbridge? </p>
<p>The two systems just focus on different things.</p>
<p>“the Oxbridge way where you basically are limited to your chosen course of study can be a deterrent”</p>
<p>Not necessarily. Indeed, for most subject you study (read) one thing only but there’s a growing number of “sandwich” courses. It all started with the PPE at Oxford, that is,
Philosophy, Politics and Economics. There is a growing number of such courses, especially at a grad kevel. But, for example, those studying computer science have to study math (hardly surprising, of course) and a third subject too. Usually physics, but it all depends on the student. At Oxford, you study chemistry or physics, or biology, but Cambridge has the Natural Sciences, what is as close to liberal arts education as the UK can get. You will specialize from your second year (NatSci is a usually 4 year course) but still have to study something outside of your major field. Heck, students can study history of science, if they wish.</p>
<p>“Mini, I think we went to the same college”</p>
<p>Pink and black?</p>
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<p>Ever heard of Greats?</p>
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<p>Really? What about Scottish unis?</p>
<p>Just curious to know what some of the differences are between UK and US that everyone is alluding to. I understand that the course of study is very focused, but are there other things that need to be considered? Do the students socialize differently? Dress differently? …</p>
<p>I’m asking because I am not familiar the Uk system of education and it sounds like there are plenty of US students who choose to stay here rather than go to a place like Cambridge. Am I missing something?</p>
<p>A student who applies “undecided” to a US university will be in good company come September. Virtually all US students are “undecided” in the sense that a kid who decides to switch majors (one or more times) is the norm, not the exception. A kid who decides to switch out of engineering to Arts and sciences (in a university which has two distinct schools with different application processes) will have an easy time, while it is much harder to do the reverse.</p>
<p>Otherwise, most US universities expect kids to change their minds. Whether they have a core curriculum or not, most US universities have a broad range of courses in a variety of disciplines outside the student’s main area of study, and students will be required to fulfill those distribution requirements- so a kid majoring in French literature will end up taking a statistics course, or a geology course, or Econ 1, or what-not, to fulfill the distribution requirements. There are few places in the US where a kid can stick to their own discipline without being required to take a writing seminar or a literature course- even if the kid is majoring in physics.</p>
<p>Not so in the UK.</p>
<p>So the decision to apply overseas isn’t just an issue of costs and travel and calendar and what-not; there’s a fundamental difference in the educational experience. Many US employers are familiar with the UK system; some are not. All grad schools will know the difference.</p>
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<p>A large part of that is Britain and many other countries in the world have education systems in which broad knowledge covered in US undergrad distribution requirements are covered at much earlier stages for college-track and other students whether it’s high school or sometimes even middle school. </p>
<p>Students are also expected to start specializing at much earlier ages. This is apparent in Britain’s system of GCSE/A-levels where students are expected to select a limited number of subjects in their strongest/potential major and are evaluated for admission on the basis of those subjects’ predicted/final grades. </p>
<p>Don’t know if this is correct, but several folks I’ve known who attended British/European universities or taught there said the British/European undergrad degree falls somewhere between an American BA/BS and an MA/MS degrees.</p>
<p>Because of the lower drinking age, UK students are much less infantilised. They don’t share dorm rooms, and universities have student-run bars.</p>
<p>Main differences apart from those outlined by Blossom and Cobrat is that there is much, much, much less handholding. Students are expected to get on with it with minimal oversight. There can be a lot less graded work, especially in arts subjects, so it can be difficult to monitor progress. Oxbridge’s tutorial / supervisions should help with this, however the reverse issue can happen in that you will be writing several essays a week or doing multiple problem sets for review. It can be a much more sink or swim approach. For example, for one term’s course, you may submit 2 graded essays of 3000 words, plus an exam - the exam will be worth 70% of your final grade. There are re-sits in most cases, but concepts such as extra credit do not exist in the UK system.</p>
<p>There was a poster last year whose son was at St Andrews studying Biology who struggled with this lack of oversight and minimal handholding. He also struggled with the material in that it was quite advanced compared with what he had studied at HS. As Cobrat notes, because UK students specialise for A Levels in junior/senior year of HS, it is possible to cover a lot of material before college even starts. I would advise any US student applying for a math or science course in the UK to look at the A Level syllabus of recommended subjects (Math, Further Math, Chem, etc etc - [AQA</a> – Awarding Body](<a href=“http://www.aqa.org.uk%5DAQA”>http://www.aqa.org.uk)) to ensure they have mastered the topics covered before starting at a UK college, esp Oxbridge. For arts students, make sure you have those essay writing skills honed. This is not a criticism of the above poster or her son, or the US educational system - the systems are very different and switching btw the 2 may not be straightforward (a British student who had studied only arts/ humanities at A Level would not be impressed with the science/ math distribution requirements at many US colleges, for example)</p>
<p>As for alcohol, it is everywhere. Because the drinking age is 18, a lot of student activities include alcohol. For example, if there is a visiting lecturer, wine and snacks may be provided for afterward. Orientation activities will include pub quizzes and pub crawls. Most people will drink, although not everyone will, and certainly not everyone will drink to get blind drunk. Drinking will occur in the pubs and in student dorms. I’m not sure there are substance free dorms either. Most students have singles though - the concept of 2 adults sharing a room is very unusual! (and they are adults through and through in the UK)</p>
<p>There is limited ‘school spirit’ and no varsity sports on the same scale as US schools. Of course there is the boat race, but it’s not really the same. Most sports are on the same level as club sports at a US college and are much more open to walk ons and tryouts.</p>
<p>Finally, as I always say to people back home: depending on where you’re from in the US, you will find the UK (and universities especially) to be a little or much more liberal than what you may be used to.</p>
<p>“Pink and black?”</p>
<p>Ah, I guessed wrong! No - pink, grey and blue. Though by coincidence my college also had 21 Firsts last year.</p>
<p>Regarding socialising, you don’t have to drink but you do have to be reasonably comfortable with other people drinking. I very rarely drank but still used to socialise in the college bars and pubs. I just had soft drinks instead.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of designated substance-free accommodation in the UK. Though I suppose all the students living in the building could mutually agree not to bring anything in.</p>
<p>First year students often live in shared flats of 4-5 people - there’s a central kitchen/living room area and individual study-bedrooms leading off from it. There may be a bathroom for each flat or several flats may share one.</p>
<p>He will have to be pretty comfortable with other people drinking. I started university (not Cambridge/Oxford so can’t give any advice there) nearly a month ago and there are very few who don’t drink. I rarely drink because I hate the taste of nearly everything! This makes me part of a small minority mostly comprised of muslim students. I go out with everyone else, I just have soft drinks. No one has pressured me to drink at all. But drinking is normal and standard, and nearly everyone will drink in moderation, plenty will drink more than that of course! Not only at parties, but we go out to the pub quite a bit as well, have pub quizzes. There’s even an ale and cider appreciation society! And cocktail making sessions, and I’m sure many unis will have the same, or wine tasting societies and the like</p>
<p>I don’t know what accomodation is like at Cambridge, but shared rooms are generally really rare, and considered not at all desirable. I am in a flat of 6, we share a kitchen and seating area, then each have our own bedroom and en suite. We are all girls (unis vary on how many of their flats are single sex vs. mixed, but the accomodation as a whole will be mixed) and self catering (most accomodation at my university is). I’ve never heard of a substance free flat, unless everyone coincidentally happens to be teetotal. You can do what you like, as long as it’s legal and not causing a major nuisance to everyone else. You also don’t get choice in your flatmates - I know at some colleges in the US they try and match roommates which makes sense if you’re sharing a bedroom, but he won’t get any choice over here</p>
<p>When you leave home for uni, you are very much an adult. No one would consider you a child in any way once you leave home. I am paying for uni myself (through loans coming out of my future wages), buy everything for myself, do my own cooking and everything minor like that. My parents aren’t involved in any of that, same as if I moved out to rent my own house and have a job instead of going to university</p>
<p>We don’t have uni sports like in the US. We have sports clubs and they might compete in things, but no one cares unless they are on the team themselves. You wouldn’t see many people turning up to watch a rugby/netball/football match. There’s big emphasis on coming along and trying something you’ve never done before, and there are often beginners teams as well as the competing teams. There are plenty of other non-sports societies as well. He can sign up for whatever he likes</p>
<p>“Ah, I guessed wrong! No - pink, grey and blue.”</p>
<p>Nice place, even if their most famous matriculant was kicked out, and their second most famous left for lack of funds…;)</p>
<p>I attended Oxford years ago, but yes, the system is very different from the US. Firstly, I think you will want to refer to it as “Cambridge University or Oxford University” or simply Cambridge or Oxford, not the University of Cambridge or Oxford. I could be wrong, of course, it was so many years ago I was there. Also, your college within the university is your home, not the university so much. So you are a Kings College man or a Christ Church woman, not an Oxford student (even though you’re a member of the Oxford student union). And the most important thing? As an OxBridge student, you are never at a loss for words. One can go almost 4 years of college in the US without ever speaking in class (in my experience), but one always leaves Oxford and/or Cambridge knowing how to speak well about anything. So the English tutorial system is HORRIBLE for shy people, but if you can make it through, you’ll learn how to speak to anyone, anywhere, about anything. Good luck!</p>
<p>“The University of Cambridge” is the official name of the University while “Cambridge University” or simply “Cambridge” are informal but almost universally accepted substitutes. Same with “Oxford University”.</p>
<p>The observation that you’re a “<insert oxbridge=”" college="" name=""> man/woman" more than you are a “university” man or woman is, I would submit, a distinction only important WITHIN the university. To anyone on the outside such distinctions don’t matter.</insert></p>
<p>I’m a very shy and quiet person. I found the tutorial system excellent for me. It is much easier speaking in front of just 2-3 people than a class of hundreds (also, in the UK shy = normal personality type requiring no intervention. In the US, shy = some kind of disease requiring years of therapy as introverts are considered extremely abnormal in US culture).</p>
<p>Ths issues discussed above are a lot about UK culture in general as oppsed to the US. When you’re 18, you’re an adult here. You are expected to be responsible for yourself, and things like being able to cook your own meals, study as much or as little as you want to, and generally survive on your own are included in that.</p>